"While sportscasting talking heads were jabbering about Bill Belichick’s candid cameras and O.J. Simpson’s unconcealed weapon, they actually played some football over the weekend in America. And whoa, what a weird week. The Cleveland Browns score 51, and the New Orleans Saints continued to channel the New Orleans Aint’s. Meanwhile, signs of imminent apocalypse are upon us: The Houston Texans and Detroit Lions are 2-0.What’s up in Philly? After weekend one, this writer deemed Donovan McNabb “visibly on the decline.” After this Sunday, McNabb’s record over the past three seasons is 9-10 after more poor clock management and play-calling in the sloppy 20-12 Philadelphia Eagles loss on Monday night against Washington. And the fans booed. Meanwhile, McNabb took his case to HBO, proclaiming that black QBs are under more scrutiny than their Caucasian counterparts. Be that as it may, McNabb is still McNabb and the Eagles’ goose may already be cooked for 2007.
Stirring up the hornets’ nest. “Don’t make me angry,” warned mild-mannered “Incredible Hulk” alter ego David Banner, “you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” Though everyone in 31 NFL markets despised the New England Patriots going into Sunday’s game against would-be contenders in the San Diego Chargers, now the negative hype barrage surrounding Belichick’s “theft” of signal-calling has made them angry. The result? A 38-14 demolition in which New England negated every Charger except Shawne Merriman. Perfect execution, perfect play-calling, and a near perfect game from Tom Brady. And all of it was live.
Speaking of which...Does anyone besides me think that the whole pedantically-named “Cameragate” or “Videogate” thing is utterly overblown? Haven’t coaches been stealing signals in, say, baseball for more than a century? If Matt Estrella had been using binocular technology rather than video, would there be a case right now? Don’t other teams do this as well? Weren’t the Patriots fined and punished accordingly? If this cheating goes back six years and is the primary reason for the team’s outstanding success in this decade, why weren’t there whispers of conspiracy before? Finally, can’t we drop this story for now?
Lessons learned: The Saints were, unfortunately, overrated; Jeff Garcia may be for real; woo, is that Green Bay Packer D good; the Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants have been eliminated from playoff contention.
This week: Carson Palmer attempts to go for seven TD passes this week, as that may be what it takes for the Bengals at Seattle."
By Os Davis
- writer of football news (with accent on Saints, Lions and Patriots) at
www.realfootball365.com
19.09.2007